We Loved Each Other in Silence
by Selene13
Summary: Minerva thought back about a secret romance between Albus and herself throughout her sixth year


We Loved Each Other in Silence  
  
Disclaimer: You know already  
  
Inspired by Maria and the song "I Loved You Once in Silence" and "If Ever I Would Leave You" by Vanessa Redgrave and Franco Nero in "Camelot"  
  
Dedicated to Minerva Dumbledore (Maria) who gave me the idea.  
  
Note: My fic, my rules, so instead of 80 years older, Dumbledore is 8 years older than Minerva!  
  
2003  
  
Minerva McGonagall was taking out her books to find some information when she saw a red and gold album at the end of the bookshelf. She took it out curiously and flipped open it.  
  
"Oh my goodness...." She mumbled when she saw the unmoving photo of herself and Albus Dumbledore in front of the Eiffel Tower. Smiling, she took the photo out and flipped it to look at the words behind:  
  
Albus and Minerva, 1950  
  
"Ah, yes, 1950, the year that started it all." Minerva said, went to sit down on her seat and began to flip the album.  
  
***  
  
1950  
  
"Oh Merlin! There he is!" A 6th year Gryffindor girl exclaimed in the Great Hall.  
  
The 16-year-old Minerva looked up from her Potions textbook and blushed deeply as she watched their Transfiguration teacher and Head of the Gryffindor house, the 24-year-old Albus came into the Great Hall.  
  
"He is so charming...." The girl said dreamily. "Wonder if he is married?"  
  
"He isn't, I am sure. I didn't see a ring." Another girl said excitedly.  
  
Mandy Hooch rolled her eyes. "Pathetic." She mumbled. She turned and her eyes widened when she saw Minerva's face, which was now as red as an apple. "What's wrong with you?"  
  
"Hm, what?" Minerva asked, held up her textbook to cover her face as Albus walked past her. Maybe she could tell Mandy about her feelings for Albus. Mandy was her best friend, she wouldn't laugh at her....  
  
"Too bad, girls!" William Potter called. "The Ministry of Magic has just set a new rule that there must not be school romance between teachers and students. Not even between teachers. Or the student will be expelled and the teacher will be sacked. No excuses."  
  
"What?!" The girls groaned.  
  
"I thought the teacher and the student would have a second chance!" Poppy Pomfrey asked.  
  
"That's the old rule. Now the Ministry had changed it." William said.  
  
Minerva slowly put down her book. All the excitement that she had when she saw Albus had disappeared completely. The Ministry of Magic had changed the rule?  
  
"What is it that you want to tell me?" Mandy asked.  
  
"Nothing." Minerva mumbled.  
  
***  
  
Minerva was sitting by the lake, sighing sadly as she stared at the deep waters. She had a major crush on Albus since last year. She blushed when Albus grinned at her and praised her in front of the rest of the students in classes. She loved it when he asked her to stay back after lessons to help him to prepare for the next one; it gave her the opportunity to spend more time with him...  
  
"But the Ministry has changed the rule. You can't love him." Minerva said to herself. "You must forget your love for him so that you won't be miserable if he finds someone else..."  
  
"Tsk, tsk, tsk, Minerva, you are talking to yourself." A voice said from above and Minerva looked up.  
  
"What's wrong?" Albus asked from where he was, lying flat on his stomach on a thick tree branch. "No one will ever speak to themselves unless there's something troubling them."  
  
"It's personal." Minerva said quietly. "I thought you have lessons."  
  
"I have 20 minutes break before I start the next one." Albus said. "Want to go and help me to prepare for the next lesson?"  
  
At first, Minerva wanted to nod, but then when she thought about the Ministry, she unwillingly shook her head.  
  
"What?" Albus said in shock. Normally, Minerva would love to help with him. "Is that your final answer?"  
  
Minerva drew her knees to her chin, buried her head between them and nodded slowly.  
  
".....Okay, if you say so." Albus said slowly and jumped down from the tree. "I...guess that you are too busy to help. Well, um, see you then."  
  
Minerva didn't even respond. If she wasn't so upset, she could have heard the disappointed note in Albus' voice.  
  
"Bye." Albus said and left.  
  
Minerva lifted her head up a few moments later. She sniffed and wiped her tears away. "Goodbye."  
  
***  
  
A few weeks had gone by quickly and Albus noticed that Minerva was getting colder and colder to him. She didn't hang around in his classroom after her Transfiguration lessons anymore, when he grinned at her, she just raised her eyebrow. (Usually she would give a bright smile), when he praised her, she just nodded slightly. (Usually she would blush, which in Albus' opinion, seems very cute) Sometimes when he saw her in the corridors, she backed away and started to walk in the other direction. Usually she would go and talk to him. She had begun to call him "Professor Dumbledore" even through he insisted his students to call him Albus. And her cold actions started to scare him. He began to miss her smile, her saying: "Hi Albus!" or "Need any help?" or "Bye, see you later, Albus!"....  
  
"What have I done wrong?" Albus asked himself. "Is it because I never prove my love to her?"  
  
He thought for a while and frowned. "But she doesn't know that I love her since last year! It can't be that....."  
  
***  
  
"Here you go, Professor Dumbledore." Minerva said, handing the Gryffindors' essays to Albus after their lessons. "May I collect them tonight?" She asked.  
  
"Certainly. Um, by the way, Minerva, can you stay after you had collected the essays?" Albus asked.  
  
"Is it important?" Minerva asked, trying not to let her tone to sound as cold as possible.  
  
"Yes." Albus said immediately.  
  
Minerva raised her eyebrow slowly. "Okay."  
  
***  
  
At night, after Albus had passed Minerva the Gryffindors' essays, she put them aside, and folded her arms. "What is it that you want to tell me?" She asked.  
  
"Why are you avoiding me?" Albus asked straightaway.  
  
"Am I?" Minerva said, trying to look surprised.  
  
Albus frowned. "Yes you are."  
  
"Err......" Minerva started. Then she unfolded her arms and looked away from him.  
  
Albus stood up from his seat, caught hold of Minerva's shoulders and said: "Look at me, Minerva, and tell me why."  
  
"I have to." She mumbled, still not looking at Albus.  
  
"That's not a good reason." Albus snapped..  
  
Minerva didn't respond.  
  
"Minerva, look at me."  
  
Minerva turned her head slowly to Albus.  
  
"Minerva, I....love you. Please forgive me, but I do. I don't give a damn about the Ministry of Magic." Albus confessed and took her hands into his.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Then I wish someone could forgive us both." Minerva whispered.  
  
Albus nodded and kissed her hand. Then he brought her closer and kissed her softly on her lips. He released her hands so that he could wrap his arms around her body. As he did, Minerva reached up to run her fingers through his thick auburn hair.  
  
"To the hell with the Ministry. I don't care anymore." Minerva thought.  
  
***  
  
The affair between Albus and Minerva carried on silently through the four seasons.  
  
During fall, when students went out to Hogsmeade, Albus and Minerva would take strolls along the lake, admiring the autumn leaves falling gracefully from the trees. If they were in the mischievous mood, they would run straight to the neat piles of autumn leaves and jumped into them together, making a huge mess and run away again before the school's caretaker caught them.  
  
During winter, when all Minerva's friends had gone back home, she would go to get Albus and they would play a snowball fight. Sometimes they even played "Tag" in the snow and when Albus caught Minerva, either he would get a kiss or, if Minerva was being playful, a face full of snow from her.  
  
If a student or a teacher caught them, Albus would say: "I'm trying to get closer to my student. If not, the gap between me and my student will be widened and if she has any problems, she will not come to me for help."  
  
Or Minerva would say: "I was asking Professor Dumbledore some questions. And then he suggested a snowball fight (or stroll depends on the season)."  
  
And they always got away with those excuses.  
  
During spring, they would not be playing outside but they would be inside the castle in Albus' office, helping Minerva to get ready for her N.E.W.Ts (Or perhaps maybe a few signs of affections in between)  
  
Summer was the best time for Minerva and Albus. Since it was holidays, Albus and Minerva sometimes traveled to France just to get away from Hogwarts. They could walk together in the streets of Paris, shopping, swim together at the beach, or even kiss each other on the street if they wanted to. Nobody in France could recognize them anyway.  
  
They continued their secret romance even after Minerva's graduation.  
  
And the Headmaster and the Ministry didn't know anything about it.  
  
***  
  
2003  
  
"Good thing that we didn't kiss on the street of Paris." Minerva thought, looking at another photo with the young Albus sucking on a sugar quill.  
  
"What are you looking at?" Albus asked, coming into her office.  
  
"This album. Doesn't it bring back happy memories?" Minerva asked, showing Albus the first photo.  
  
"It sure does." Albus said, nodding.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Why don't we go shopping now and kiss on the street?" Albus joked, grinning.  
  
"No way." Minerva said firmly.  
  
"I know that you will say no. Because no one knows that we loved each other in silence." Albus said, putting his arm around Minerva's shoulders and kissed her lightly on her cheek. "I love you, Minerva." He whispered.  
  
"I love you too, Albus."  
  
The End 


End file.
